Report of the committee

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights has the honour to present its

SIXTH REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Thursday, December 15, 2016, to study the issues relating to the human rights of prisoners in the correctional system, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018, and requests, for the purpose of such study, that it be empowered:

(a) to engage the services of such counsel, technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary;

(b) to adjourn from place to place within Canada; and

(c) to travel inside Canada.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:06, section 2(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

JIM MUNSON

Chair

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STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Study on the issues relating to the human rights of
prisoners in the correctional system

APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2018

Extract from the Journals of the Senate of Thursday, December 15, 2016:

That the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights be authorized to examine and report issues relating to the human rights of prisoners in the correctional system, with emphasis on the federal system, and with reference to both national and international law and standards, as well as to examine the situation of vulnerable or disadvantaged groups in federal prisons, including indigenous people, visible minorities, women and those with mental health concerns;

That the committee submit its final report no later than October 31, 2017, and that the committee retain all powers necessary to publicize its findings until 180 days after the tabling of the final report.

After debate,

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Charles Robert

Clerk of the Senate

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SUMMARY OF BUDGET

Activity 1:Brockville, Kingston, Montreal

$

71,250

TOTAL

$

71,250

The above budget was approved by the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday, March 29, 2017.

The undersigned or an alternate will be in attendance on the date that this budget is considered.

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has examined the budget presented to it by the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights for the proposed expenditures of the said committee for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018, for the purpose of its special study on the issues relating to the human rights of prisoners in the correctional system, as authorized by the Senate on Thursday, December 15, 2016. The approved budget is as follows:

Activity 1: Brockville, Kingston, Montreal

$

71,250

TOTAL

$

71,250

(includes funds for a fact-finding mission; includes funds for 8 senators to travel)

The budgets approved by the Senate for each travel activity are the maximum amount that can be spent for that activity;

Budgets normally include funds for the full membership of the committee to travel;

In general, a reduced delegation actually travels and efforts are made to find additional savings;

Therefore, actual expenditures are expected to be considerably below the approved budget, and they will be reported to the Senate;

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In keeping with the claw back process that is already in effect, any unexpended funds allocated in this budget for travel will be returned to the central committees’ budget at the end of October 2017, to ensure that funds are not tied up unnecessarily. These funds will be made available for redistribution to all committees for travel in the Fall of 2017, upon application to the Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.

Any surplus funds remaining at the conclusion of a travel activity will be clawed-back and can be made available for allocation to committees for other activities.